American Heart Association, Network for a Healthy California and Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Collaborate to Promote Healthy Lifestyles and Reduce Hypertension

Get to Goal program aims to lower blood pressure levels

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Heart Association (AHA) is launching its new Get to Goal hypertension management program at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw this weekend in an effort to promote a healthy lifestyle, including strategies to reduce hypertension among African American and Latino adults across Los Angeles County.

The program kicks off with an enrollment event on Saturday, March 2, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw (3650 West Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Los Angeles, CA) where interested individuals may sign up to participate in the four-month program that includes interactive health education classes and access to a health mentor that helps set goals, create action plans and monitor progress. The enrollment event will also feature the unveiling of a blood pressure kiosk located inside the mall, where program participants can monitor their blood pressure using the AHA's Heart 360 health management tool. DJ Dense will provide music.

The health education classes offered by the Network for a Healthy California (Network) will cover the health risks of excessive sodium consumption, portion control, reading food labels, the health benefits of physical activity and disease prevention. "The Network offers tools and resources to transform communities to make healthy eating and daily physical activity a way of life with the goal of preventing obesity and other serious health problems like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke," said Ebone Fuller, African American Campaign coordinator, Network for a Healthy California.

Physical fitness classes will be led by Cleon "CJ" Joseph, owner of CJ Functional Fitness. The program will culminate at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw's BFit Wellness Fair on May 18-19, 2013.

"More than 76 million Americans have high blood pressure," said Alice Benjamin, RN, Clinical Nurse Specialist and American Heart Association spokesperson. "Of those, 15 million are unaware of their condition. Of the 61 million who know they have high blood pressure, 18 million are untreated. Of the 43 million who are getting treatment, 21 million remain with uncontrolled hypertension. This is a health concern of epidemic proportions that we are trying to address through Get to Goal."

In California, Los Angeles County has the highest percentage of African Americans diagnosed with high blood pressure. African Americans with high blood pressure have an 80 percent chance of dying from stroke and 20 percent chance of developing heart disease. Among Latinos, an estimated 25 percent of the population in Los Angeles has high blood pressure.

The American Heart Association's mission is building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Its goal by 2020 is to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent. Get to Goal aims to address one of the major risk factors for these diseases: high blood pressure.

"We are thrilled to work with the American Heart Association to raise awareness of the risks associated with high blood pressure and to help promote healthier lifestyles within our community," said Sharron King, General Manager of Baldwin Hills Crenshaw. "We encourage our neighbors to visit the mall in March to participate in this valuable program."

Get to Goal is a collaboration between the American Heart Association, Network for a Healthy California and Baldwin Hills Crenshaw. To participate in Get to GoalLos Angeles, visit www.heart360.org/GettoGoalLA for the African American program and www.heart360.org/LosAngeles for the Latino program.

About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America's No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or any of our offices around the country, or visit heart.org.

About the American Stroke Association The American Stroke Association is dedicated to prevention, diagnosis and treatment to save lives from stroke — a leading cause of death and serious disability. We fund scientific research, help people better understand and avoid stroke, encourage government support, guide healthcare professionals and provide information to enhance the quality of life for stroke survivors. We were created in 1997 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit strokeassociation.org.

About Baldwin Hills CrenshawBaldwin Hills Crenshaw is an 870,000 square foot retail destination located at the intersection of Crenshaw Blvd. and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in Los Angeles, California. Anchored by Macys, Sears and Walmart, with over 100 specialty stores and dining options, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw has long been recognized as the hub of the surrounding communities. From a signature concert series known as BHCP Live!, monthly Kid's Club and a weekly Farmers' Market to the many public services offered at the mall, it is clear that BHC is more than just a place to shop, it's a central gathering place for the local community. With Baldwin Hills Crenshaw so entrenched in local lifestyle, we are committed to making this neighborhood an even better place to live, work, shop and just BE! We have teamed up with some great partners to support a variety of worthwhile events and continue to support efforts and programming that reflect the history and interests of our local residents. Baldwin Hills Crenshaw is managed and leased by Primestor Development, Inc. Primestor is a full service commercial real estate firm specializing in the management, revitalization, and development of shopping centers in urban locations.

About the Network for a Healthy California (Network)The California Department of Public Health's Network for a Healthy California (Network) is a public health effort working with hundreds of partners and organizations to empower low-income Californians to live healthier lives through good nutrition and physical activity. Funding is from USDA SNAP, known in California as CalFresh. For CalFresh information, call 1-877-847-3663. For important nutrition information, visit www.cachampionsforchange.net.